Mar 23, 2009

Nate

Nate (aka "Smalls") doesn't seem to get nearly as much face time on this blog, so in an effort to prove that I love him just as much as the other kids, here is a post devoted just to him. And in case you are looking at the picture above and thinking wow that is a great picture and not at all like the usual poor lighting/bad angle/lame composition shots she usually takes, well you're right. I happened to run into a photographer friend at the park who snapped this picture and emailed it to me, causing me to vow, once again, to someday hire a full-time, live-in photographer.

So here you are Nate, this is you:

I LOVE the cheerio phase. It is a gift from God to be able to stick them in a high chair, slap some cheerios on the tray, and leave them to eat happily for hours. I also love the accidental finger-up-the-nose while shoving your face with said cheerios.

More cheerio fun. I'm telling you, this kid eats his weight in cheerios on a daily basis.

And while we're on an eating theme, here is a video of what happens when we try to feed him actual food.

At Nate's last check-up, we found out that he is in the 4th % for height, the 6th % for weight, and the 65th % for head circumference. Seriously. I think this picture does a pretty good job of demonstrating the disproportion.

Nate is now almost 10 months old and officially crawling. This has resulted in a campaign at our house called, "Keep the Baby Alive 2009." I cannot even tell you how many choking hazards I have pulled out of his mouth, how many close calls with electrical outlets we've had, how many times his brother has sat on him... and that's just today. If this kid makes it to his 1st birthday, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

Nate has 2 teeth, which, true to 3rd child protocol, get brushed approximately 1.4 times per week.

Nate's current favorite toy is the broom. That's right, the dirt-covered, germ-encrusted, practically a weapon broom. We have high hopes for his future as either a janitor or a performer in STOMP.

Mia's current nickname for Nate is Goo-goo.

It seems as if Nate fits perfectly on my hip, like he was made to perch there. He has started "hugging" me by resting his head on my shoulder and nestling in the crook of my neck. I'm not exaggerating that it sometimes makes me almost die of happiness.

Despite enduring daily torment at the hands of his older siblings in the form of poking, prodding, jostling, squeezing, hefting, and man-handling, Nate absolutely adores Mia and Sam. And I have to record that for posterity out of the fear that someday he will never believe me if it's not written down.

Nate, thank you for being my only child currently sleeping through the night. I love you even more dearly just for that.

I just love the Cheerio pictures. All of my kids loved Cheerio's as well. I also love the pics of Sam and Mia camping in the backyard. My kids make huts and campout in the house this time of year because it is too cold to play outside much of the time.

We are actively involved in the "keep the baby alive campaign" as well. I even have to vacuum now (I know...) and still Alison finds some small plastic wrapper to put in her mouth. She is the human vacuum cleaner. Plastic wrappers and paper are the current floor favorites.